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Daily Readings for Friday, August 10, 2018

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD of hosts! 2 My soul longs, indeed it faints
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.

3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God. 4 Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise. Selah

5 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion. 6 As they go through the valley of Baca
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools. 7 They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the LORD withhold
from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Morning Psalm 148

1 Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord from the heavens;
praise him in the heights! 2 Praise him, all his angels;
praise him, all his host!

5 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for he commanded and they were created. 6 He established them forever and ever;
he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.

7 Praise the Lord from the earth,
you sea monsters and all deeps, 8 fire and hail, snow and frost,
stormy wind fulfilling his command!

9 Mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars! 10 Wild animals and all cattle,
creeping things and flying birds!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples,
princes and all rulers of the earth! 12 Young men and women alike,
old and young together!

13 Let them praise the name of the Lord,
for his name alone is exalted;
his glory is above earth and heaven. 14 He has raised up a horn for his people,
praise for all his faithful,
for the people of Israel who are close to him.
Praise the Lord!

First Reading Judges 9:1-16, 19-21

1Now Abimelech son of
Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother's kinsfolk
and said to them and to the whole clan of his
mother's family, 2"Say in the hearing of all
the lords of Shechem, 'Which is better for you, that
all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or
that one rule over you?' Remember also that I am your
bone and your flesh." 3So his mother's kinsfolk spoke
all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the
lords of Shechem; and their hearts inclined to follow
Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother."
4They gave him seventy
pieces of silver out of the temple of Baal-berith with
which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who
followed him. 5He went
to his father's house at Ophrah, and killed his
brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one
stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal,
survived, for he hid himself. 6Then all the lords of Shechem and
all Beth-millo came together, and they went and made
Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillar at Shechem.

7When it was told to
Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim,
and cried aloud and said to them, "Listen to me, you
lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.
8The trees once went
out to anoint a king over themselves. So they said to the
olive tree, 'Reign over us.' 9The olive tree answered them,
'Shall I stop producing my rich oil by which gods and
mortals are honored, and go to sway over the trees?'
10Then the trees said
to the fig tree, 'You come and reign over us.'
11But the fig tree
answered them, 'Shall I stop producing my sweetness
and my delicious fruit, and go to sway over the
trees?' 12Then the
trees said to the vine, 'You come and reign over
us.' 13But the vine
said to them, 'Shall I stop producing my wine that
cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the
trees?' 14So all
the trees said to the bramble, 'You come and reign
over us.' 15And the
bramble said to the trees, 'If in good faith you are
anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in
my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble
and devour the cedars of Lebanon.'

16"Now therefore,
if you acted in good faith and honor when you made
Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal
and his house, and have done to him as his actions
deserved -

19if, I say, you have
acted in good faith and honor with Jerubbaal and with his
house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him
also rejoice in you; 20but if not, let fire come out
from Abimelech, and devour the lords of Shechem, and
Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of
Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech."
21Then Jotham ran away
and fled, going to Beer, where he remained for fear of
his brother Abimelech.

Second Reading Acts 4:13-31

13Now when they saw the
boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were
uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and
recognized them as companions of Jesus. 14When they saw the man who had
been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say
in opposition. 15So
they ordered them to leave the council while they
discussed the matter with one another. 16They said, "What will we do
with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem
that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot
deny it.

17But to keep it from
spreading further among the people, let us warn them to
speak no more to anyone in this name." 18So they called them and ordered
them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.
19But Peter and John
answered them, "Whether it is right in God's
sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must
judge; 20for we cannot
keep from speaking about what we have seen and
heard." 21After
threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way
to punish them because of the people, for all of them
praised God for what had happened. 22For the man on whom this sign of
healing had been performed was more than forty years old.
23After they were
released, they went to their friends and reported what
the chief priests and the elders had said to them.
24When they heard it,
they raised their voices together to God and said,
"Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth,
the sea, and everything in them, 25it is you who said by the Holy
Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: 'Why
did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain
things? 26The kings of
the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered
together against the Lord and against his Messiah.'
27For in this city, in
fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles
and the peoples of Israel, gathered together against your
holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28to do whatever your hand and your
plan had predestined to take place. 29And now, Lord, look at their
threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word
with all boldness, 30while you stretch out your hand
to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the
name of your holy servant Jesus." 31When they had prayed, the place
in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word
of God with boldness.

Gospel Reading John 2:1-12

1On the third day there
was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus
was there. 2Jesus and
his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.
3When the wine gave
out, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no
wine." 4And Jesus
said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and
to me? My hour has not yet come." 5His mother said to the servants,
"Do whatever he tells you." 6Now standing there were six stone
water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each
holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7Jesus said to them, "Fill the
jars with water." And they filled them up to the
brim. 8He said to them,
"Now draw some out, and take it to the chief
steward." So they took it. 9When the steward tasted the water
that had become wine, and did not know where it came from
(though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the
steward called the bridegroom 10and said to him, "Everyone
serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine
after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the
good wine until now." 11Jesus did this, the first of his
signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and
his disciples believed in him.

12After this he went
down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers, and his
disciples; and they remained there a few days.

Evening Psalm 25

1 To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. 2 O my God, in you I trust;
do not let me be put to shame;
do not let my enemies exult over me. 3 Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O LORD;
teach me your paths. 5 Lead me in your truth, and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all day long.

6 Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love,
for they have been from of old. 7 Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me,
for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!

8 Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

11 For your name’s sake, O LORD,
pardon my guilt, for it is great.

12 Who are they that fear the LORD?
He will teach them the way that they should choose.

13 They will abide in prosperity,
and their children shall possess the land. 14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,
and he makes his covenant known to them. 15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
for I am lonely and afflicted. 17 Relieve the troubles of my heart,
and bring me out of my distress. 18 Consider my affliction and my trouble,
and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes,
and with what violent hatred they hate me. 20 O guard my life, and deliver me;
do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me,
for I wait for you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God,
out of all its troubles.

Evening Psalm 40

1 I waited patiently for the LORD;
he inclined to me and heard my cry. 2 He drew me up from the desolate pit,
out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
making my steps secure. 3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
and put their trust in the LORD.

4 Happy are those who make
the LORD their trust,
who do not turn to the proud,
to those who go astray after false gods. 5 You have multiplied, O LORD my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you.
Were I to proclaim and tell of them,
they would be more than can be counted.

6 Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required. 7 Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me. 8 I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”

9 I have told the glad news of deliverance
in the great congregation;
see, I have not restrained my lips,
as you know, O LORD. 10 I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,
I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;
I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness
from the great congregation.

11 Do not, O LORD, withhold
your mercy from me;
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness
keep me safe forever. 12 For evils have encompassed me
without number;
my iniquities have overtaken me,
until I cannot see;
they are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails me.

13 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;
O LORD, make haste to help me. 14 Let all those be put to shame and confusion
who seek to snatch away my life;
let those be turned back and brought to dishonor
who desire my hurt. 15 Let those be appalled because of their shame
who say to me, “Aha, Aha!”

16 But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who love your salvation
say continually, “Great is the LORD!” 17 As for me, I am poor and needy,
but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
do not delay, O my God.